Estimating the Cost of Equity Capital

Kellogg Company manufactures cereal and other convenience food under its many well-known brands such as Kelloggs, Keebler, and Cheez-It. The company, with over $13.5 billion in annual sales worldwide, partially finances its operation through the issuance of debt. At the beginning of its 2018 fiscal year, it had $8.25 billion in total debt. At the end of fiscal year 2018, its total debt had increased to $8.72 billion. Its fiscal 2018 interest expense was $287 million, and its assumed statutory tax rate was 21%.

Kellogg Company has an estimated market beta of 0.85. Assume that the expected risk-free rate is 2.1% and the expected market premium is 5%.

Estimate Kellogg's cost of equity capital.